Veg bowl with mushrooms, leeks, and farro
This veg bowl is what dreams are made of.
Perhaps it’s the creamy farro cooked with vegetable broth.
Or maybe it’s the mushrooms and leeks slathered in a bit of oil.
Okay maybe “slathered in oil” isn’t the best way to sell this recipe, rather kissed with a bit of that olive oil goodness.
Whatever IT is, it’s downright dreamy.
I honestly don’t know why it took me 29 years to cook with leeks. Leek soup was never big around my house, despite it’s veg nature since my mom is vegetarian, it just wasn’t a staple for us.
And, I suppose I never really played around with it when I moved out on my own. They never looked all that….appealing.
I think they kind of look like a weird cartoon character from that 90s. Do you see it? There’s one in particular I’m thinking of but I just cannot conjure up his name for the life of me. One day I’ll remember and come back here to update you all on my search for that one weird character 😅.
Anyways, I also wasn’t a mushroom fan until…er….last year. I don’t know what turned the tables for me, but now I’m into them. It honestly may have been this peanut ramen recipe by my fav, Tieghan. I make this recipe multiple times each fall and winter, it’s SO good. Anyways, I think that’s what made me realize that I don’t hate mushrooms, and now I’m much more open to cooking with them.
Which is why when I saw this creamy farro recipe by the queen of queens, Alison Roman, I knew I had to try it out. And try, we did.
Even my husband who definitely prefers meat-forward meals enjoyed it. The dill really sealed the deal, I could put that sweet green goodness on everything. Ugh. SO GOOD.
Okay okay, we’re getting to the goods. Here’s the creamy farro veg bowl recipe à la Alison Roman.
Veg Bowl with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Farro
This particular recipe says that the mushrooms get nice and crispy – I didn’t crisp mine up and honestly it was delicious as-is.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and half the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and crisped, 12 to 15 minutes. (They will start giving off moisture and steaming a little before this happens, so be patient.)
Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a medium bowl leaving any olive oil behind. (They will have absorbed the oil as they cook, and released it back as they crisp.) Add a bit more olive oil so there’s another 1/4 cup or so in the pot. Cook the remaining leeks and mushrooms, adding them to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
Without wiping the pot, add farro and season with salt and pepper. Cook over that same medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until farro is toasted on the outside (it will go from pale golden brown to a toastier golden brown), about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water; season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a strong simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until farro is fully cooked and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. It should still look a bit loose, like risotto or a porridge. Remove from heat and add half the chives.
Toss dill, remaining chives and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To serve, season farro with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, mushrooms and leeks, and dill mixture. Serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and half the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and crisped, 12 to 15 minutes. (They will start giving off moisture and steaming a little before this happens, so be patient.)
Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a medium bowl leaving any olive oil behind. (They will have absorbed the oil as they cook, and released it back as they crisp.) Add a bit more olive oil so there’s another 1/4 cup or so in the pot. Cook the remaining leeks and mushrooms, adding them to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
Without wiping the pot, add farro and season with salt and pepper. Cook over that same medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until farro is toasted on the outside (it will go from pale golden brown to a toastier golden brown), about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water; season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a strong simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until farro is fully cooked and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. It should still look a bit loose, like risotto or a porridge. Remove from heat and add half the chives.
Toss dill, remaining chives and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To serve, season farro with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, mushrooms and leeks, and dill mixture. Serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.
Who’s going to be whipping this one up?! Share with #bygabriellarecipe so I can see it!
g.
This recipe is by Alison Roman and originally appeared on NYT Cooking.
